Automated banking machines are known in the prior art. A common type of automated banking machine is an automated teller machine (“ATM”). ATMs have been developed which are capable of performing a variety of transactions. Such transactions may include dispensing currency or accepting deposits from a user. Other types of transactions include providing tickets, travelers checks, vouchers or gaming materials. Other types of automated transaction machines enable check cashing, bill payment, printing account statements, dispensing postage and receiving or providing other items of value. Other types of automated banking machines may be operated by a service provider such as a cashier or bank teller. Such automated banking machines may include bill counters, check acceptors, passbook printers and other types of devices. Automated banking machines generally carry out transactions while causing appropriate charges and credits to be applied to the respective accounts of a user, a machine owner and/or a provider of value, such as cash, goods or services, which are effectively transferred through operation of the machine. For purposes of this disclosure, an automated banking machine will be considered to refer to any machine capable of carrying out transactions which involve transfers of value.
Most automated banking machines are limited to being used by only one user at a time. For example when one user operates most ATMs, others are required to form a queue and wait until it is their turn to use the ATM. This may pose an inconvenience for both customers and the ATM operator.
To serve plural customers simultaneously a number of ATMs may be installed at a given facility. However, such additional ATMs take up more physical space. Physical space may be at a premium in some facilities. Providing additional machines may also be expensive. Significant additional costs may be incurred both in acquiring and servicing machines to assure that they are operating properly. When numerous machines are installed at one location, each includes components which are generally duplicative of components in the other machines. In addition, when one machine is upgraded or improved it is usually advisable to apply the same upgrade or improvement to all of the machines. This may add further cost and complexity for the owner of the machines.
A further limitation of most existing ATMs is the limited variety of transactions which may be performed at a single machine. Each machine enclosure is of limited size and may only accommodate a range of transaction function devices that can be fit within the enclosure. It may be desirable in some instances to add additional capabilities to an ATM machine. However, the space required to include the transaction function devices necessary to carry out a new type of transaction may not be available within the machine enclosure unless other transaction function devices are removed. As a result, it is sometimes not feasible to add a transaction function that would be desirable.
At present when additional transaction functions are incorporated into ATMs, it is often necessary to provide larger enclosures. Such larger enclosures are not only necessary to house the devices but to also provide the necessary interfaces for delivering or receiving items from the customer. It is common for each added transaction function device such as dispensers for tickets, receipts, coupons and the like, to have a separate delivery opening in the user interface. Likewise, when a user is enabled to deposit several types of items in the machine it is common to have a separate opening or access mechanism to receive each type of item from the user. Providing these capabilities further adds to the size and complexity of the machine.
In some instances it may be desirable to add the capability to an automated banking machine to communicate with and/or exchange items with a human service provider. Such activities may be desirable for particular types of transactions that cannot be carried out on an automated basis. However, such capabilities may be difficult to add to existing machines not originally built to include such capabilities. Automated transaction machines such as medication dispensers may also benefit from being able to communicate with a human service provider. In such machines it may also be desirable to include a larger range of medications which can be provided to authorized users. Other types of transactions which involve the dispense or receipt of items are commonly not carried out with automated transaction machines because of space requirements of associated dispensing and receiving mechanisms.
Thus there may exist a need for an automated banking machine apparatus and system that may be capable of carrying out more types of transactions on an automated basis. There may further exist a need for an automated banking machine apparatus and system that is capable of being more readily reconfigured to add or delete functions and transaction types. There may further exist a need for an automated banking machine apparatus and system that may serve customers more efficiently including serving a plurality of customers simultaneously. There may further exist a need for an automated banking machine apparatus and system that is relatively compact, reliable and economical to operate.